


Memories Hurt, Too

by TheWriterinFlannel



Series: ThorBruce Week 2018 [3]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Incredible Hulk (Comics)
Genre: Child Abuse, Childhood Trauma, Confessions, Domestic Violence, Emotional Comfort, M/M, Manslaughter, Poor Bruce, Triggers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-05
Updated: 2018-08-05
Packaged: 2019-06-20 20:05:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,073
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15541980
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheWriterinFlannel/pseuds/TheWriterinFlannel
Summary: Bruce tells Thor about his childhood.Day 3 of ThorBruce Week 2018! The theme for today is Comfort.





	Memories Hurt, Too

**Author's Note:**

> I really want to apologize for not posting this on time. I’ve been having some problems with my wifi, but now everything’s back on track. Sadly, my posts may be a day behind if I can’t start pressing these fics out. Anywho here’s a bit of Emotional Comfort between the strongest Avengers for Day 3 of ThorBruce Week 2018.

Brian Banner had been furious when he came home. Work had gone terribly; his boss wouldn’t shut up about meeting some quota, and the new secretary, who was one of those “feminist”, told him to get his own damn coffee. Overall, Brian just wanted to punch something. As he walked through the front door, his eyes landed on Bruce. 

 

Brian had never wanted children; he hated them with a burning passion; but his wife, Rebecca, had wanted a child dearly. He never told his wife about his vow to never have children, so when she begged him for a child he knocked her up. He wasn’t expecting it to work, but nine months later, the had Bruce. Brian hated Bruce. He hated everything about the kid, from the fact that Bruce carried Brian’s “monster gene” to the fact that Bruce made Rebecca so damn happy. Brian didn’t hide his hatred either. Rebecca spent most of her time hiding her son away so that he wouldn’t get hurt when Brian came home.

 

Sadly, Rebecca had lost track of time while she was gardening. It wasn’t until she heard Bruce cry out in pain that she knew Brian was home. As she raced back into the little one-story house, Bruce found himself corned beneath his play desk. Brian’s feet had already made impact with Bruce’s head when Rebecca finally got to them. “You’re disgusting! You don’t fucking deserve to breathe!” Bruce saw his mother rush towards him and tried to beg her to stay away. He knew that his father beat her whenever she tried to help. Nevertheless, Rebecca grabbed Brian by the arm and pulled him away from their son. Even though the action gifted her a wretched slap across the face, it also gave Bruce enough time to run and hide.

 

From his hiding spot, Bruce could hear his father’s thundering footsteps. Brian threw the door open, searching the room for his disgusting son. Unable to find him, Brian left the room, yelling about needing a drink. 

  
  


The abuse continued for some years but got worse once Rebecca died. She had been trying to escape, little Bruce trotting along behind her, when Brian came home from work early. He had been fired, again, and was livid. Seeing his wife trying to run away didn’t help the situation. Brian and Rebecca wrestled while she tried to get to the car. Bruce screams and kicks at his father, fearing for his mother’s life, but it’s no use. Brian throws his wife to the ground, and Bruce can only watch in horror as his Rebecca’s head smashes against the pavement and kills her.

 

Brian had bullied his son into lying to in court about both the abuse and his mother’s death. Days after the trial, Brian accidentally fucked up. The man had gotten drunk and bragged to some rando and the bar about how his son was a “little bitch” and would do anything if it meant he wouldn’t get the shit beat out of him…

 

“They guy eventually ratted my father out, called the cops and told them everything,” Bruce explained. Thor looked terrified. He had spent so much time thinking his father was subpar, but here Bruce was, still chugging on after everything that had happened to him. The blonde scooped Bruce into his arms and Bruce wrapped his arms around Thor’s neck.

 

The subject of Brian Banner has always been a difficult one for Bruce. He had told this story twice before, once to the police when he was younger and once to Tony, and every time it drained the life out of Bruce. The scientist allowed himself to go lip in Thor’s grip, soothed by the feeling of thick fingers and a broad palm at the base of his skull. It wasn’t long before Bruce fell asleep atop Thor’s chest, completely at ease. 

 

Brunnhilde thought it was the cutest thing she’d ever seen: Bruce’s tiny little body curled against Thor’s behemoth chest, the god’s muscular arms protecting Bruce from the danger that didn’t exist. Thor tried to flip her off but stopped when he realized that the movement would jostle Bruce. Brunnhilde laughed her way out of the room.

  
  


Bruce was alone when he woke up, enveloped by the darkness of the main bedroom. He sat up quickly, looking around the room for Thor. The blond was sitting at the sole table in the room, a bottle of god-knows-what in his grip. “Thor.” The groggy sound of Bruce’s voice forced the god to look up from where he was eyeing the table. “Yes, my love?” “Are you okay?” “I am just processing the information you bestowed upon me earlier.” Bruce was alert now; was Thor rethinking whatever this relationship was? Bruce had been dumped because of his past, and its effect on him, before; He should have known that it would happen again. The scientist expressed that much to Thor and was startled when Thor practically flung the chair out the way to get to him. 

 

“I’m not going to leave you, Bruce,” the burly man explained. He sat at the edge of the bed, placing a hand on Bruce’s exposed ankle. “I’m just trying to, I, I don’t know what I’m doing. I grew up with a father who I thought was amazing. When I learned of all the evil he did, all the turmoil he caused, I deemed him a wretched man. I always thought that my father was truly evil, but I’ve learned that I was wrong. What you have said about Brian Banner has not excused all the wrong my own father has done, but I have learned that my perception of good and bad, worthy and worthless, is skewed. I guess I can say the same for my perception strength.”

 

Bruce raised an eyebrow, and Thor continued to speak, “I always saw strength as a physical thing; how much force used or how much weight could be handled. Your story has shown me the fault in my views. You are such a strong man, Bruce. I truly mean you, not the Hulk. You have been through so much, yet here you are. You haven’t let pain stop you; that is what makes you so strong. I have let my privileges blind me, love, but you are helping me change my ways.” Bruce smiled, placing a comforting hand on Thor’s shoulder; it was the least he could do.

**Author's Note:**

> Follow me on [my tumblr](thewriterinflannel.tumblr.com) or just send me a request


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